It's Simply That I've Always Loved You

Chapter 6

“It’s been a nice week, hasn’t it?” Renji sits up on the futon, pillows cushioning his back as Byakuya nuzzles against his chest. “Not a bad decision to skip your heat suppressants.”

Byakuya hums against his skin and looks up at him through sleepy eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. “I suppose not. You were a suitable heat partner and you took good care of me, and I feel very relaxed as a result. You did a very good job.”

“Had to. You’re my pack alpha.” Renji grins at him just the same, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

In the night, Byakuya’s heat finally let up on his body, and Renji has been helping him through the afterglow since then. Their last coupling had been slow and sensual and Renji had taken his time to take Byakuya apart at the seams just to listen to the small and sweet noises he makes one more time before he needs to wait for his rut cycle next month. It was well worth it, though, getting to know Byakuya’s body intimately well in their week together.

It also solidified his desire to court his pack alpha. Of course, he might need a little time to plan out his courtship to the letter so that it’s worthy of an omega like Byakuya, but he’s going to do it. Yoruichi’s words refuse to leave his mind, as do their meaning.

“I’ll have to do just as suitable a job so that I can care for you when you’re in rut.” Byakuya stifles a yawn against the palm of his hand and Renji nuzzles the top of his head, unable to help himself. He’s just so achingly fond of Byakuya, more so than when they began this.

“I’m sure you’ll do a great job.” He’s more than a little excited at the prospect of having Byakuya in his private quarters attending to him.

Byakuya sits up slowly and stretches his arms over his head, the sheet around his shoulders slipping down to show off every inch of his beautiful body. His slender torso still bears the marks of Renji’s lips and teeth, and it will take time for those to fade. “Hisana, rest her soul… I think I overwhelmed her when I was in heat. She had little experience with omegas.”

“It can be hard, you know, the scent, the need. I’ve got the experience so it wasn’t a big deal for me.” Renji doesn’t mention the fact Byakuya has been careful about mentioning Hisana this entire time until now and hopes it’s some kind of progress, however small it might be. “We figured it out, right? So it should be easier and easier. Your heats won’t be as dramatically long and they won’t take so much of a toll on your body.”

“That’s good.” Byakuya runs his fingers through his hair, gathering the heavy black mass of it and pushing it behind his shoulders. “I’ll visit Unohana later today and make sure to ask her for a post-heat drought. She reassured me that as long as it’s taken at the end of a heat, it should prevent any unwanted pregnancy. I don’t think I would ever want children.”

“Not everyone does.” Renji is hardly bothered by the prospect of not having pups with Byakuya if he manages to win him over. All he wants is Byakuya, to hold him close at night and kiss him and piece together the cracks in his heart until he can smile so freely again without the shadow of pain lingering behind him. “Just wanted to keep your options open, right?”

“Correct. Having the choice is what is important to me, not making it.” Byakuya picks up the comforter and pulls it up over himself, then settles back into Renji’s side, all warm skin and the sweet cherry blossom scent Renji is going to smell for days.

He drops another kiss on top of Byakuya’s head, stroking his thumb over the roundest part of Byakuya’s shoulder. “At least no fires cropped up that you had to put out after all.”

“I’m relieved. I could have handled them, but it’s nice to not need to expend the worry until much later.” Byakuya looks up at him again, his eyes a little brighter, a little more awake now. “It would have been simple to ask your opinion on the matter with you so close.”